Carlos Sainz plays down fears over Toro Rosso future
The Spaniard moved to calm a row over his future by suggesting that his comments had been blown out of proportion.
Carlos Sainz has moved to calm a row over his future by suggesting that the comments he made a few days ago have been blown out of proportion.
Sainz clears up Toro Rosso contract remark
The Spaniard said on Thursday that a fourth year with Toro Rosso was unlikely, after he received an offer from Renault before Red Bull - Toro Rosso's parent company, exercised their option on his services. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner reacted on Friday by stating that he was under contract and would have to stay with Toro Rosso in 2018.
“Everything has probably been thrown a bit out of proportion”, Sainz explained today. “There was nothing strange in what I said. As a driver, as an ambitious driver, as a human, it's clear my first goal in life is to become a Red Bull driver and start fighting for podiums with them again - I owe them everything. I owe Toro Rosso and the people there everything I know in Formula One at the moment, but I have ambitions. What I said is a fact: in 12 years of Toro Rosso, no one has stayed for a fourth-year. For me to remain for a fourth-year, I would be the first one in history to do that”.
He added that he understood the position taken by Red Bull, Horner and the management. “I'm not stupid, I see what happens, how everything developed. I was a bit surprised, if you can put it that way. It's something that sometimes in F1 happens”.